'THE 3 STOOGES SCHOOL' OF SELF DEFENSE

You can learn a lot from watching old movies, rather than new ones, especially the old black and white, pre-technicolor days, especially when movie codes were sort of non-existent or rarely followed,etc. and especially in physical action, stunts, and related things from barroom brawls and self-defense and war tactics,etc..... Exotic weapons, wily villains, tight situations, escapes and captures, and a whole variety of things are there for the watching and for your edification if you take the time to really and truly observe.....sometimes it takes several watchings ...I have mentioned ;this in other blogs, of course, and will focus primarily on what I call, after viewing quite a collection of THE THREE STOOGES shorts and films, with the originals: Larry, Moe & Curly,,,,,that is now available....These range from 1934 to 1950's and the 1934-36-37 and the WWII years are all interesting to me personally. If you watch some of these, you will see certain routines that are often duplicated or repeated but which show some vary basic, yet effective,self defense techniques, such as, the two finger thrust to the eyes, the head butt to the midsection or solar plexus, the mule kick with the hind legs, some grappling, some throwing and some punches, that still can work if done and practiced. Later I shall list some of these when I have time or the episodes in which some can be found.......As an avid movie goer since 'babyhood' I have often ;mimicked, imitated,and tested such from time to time......so keep an open mind......in the early days, boxing, wrestling, acrobatics, knife throwing, judo,jiujitsu were often shown or mentioned in films....and surprisingly, MANY KICKS WERE EMPLOYED ....fast, high, accurate,etc. even if rehearsed....more on all this later..

10,000 HOURS

MARTIAL ARTISTS and everyone else might learn a lot if they read a recent book by DENNY EMERSON called 'How Good Riders Get GOOD"(Trafalgar Square Books). Even if you are not a horse rider or person(and I am not) I recognize what he has experienced and learned and accomplished can be applied to nearly everything.... FOR EXAMPLE: the 10,000 HOUR RULE-which is essential if yoiu really aim or wish to be truly proficient in anything.......... PRACTICING THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF PRACTICE,whether bowling, golf, boxing, karate, wrestling, weight-lifting, sailing, pingpong, tennis, canoeing, running, etc. is ESSENTIAL! Most people and 'practitioners' fall short of this.....Persistence is needed as well as patience,of course. Doing the CORRECT BASICS CORRECTLY is important and AVOIDING the WRONG WAY TO DO THINGS, will make it easier to correct any mistakes, all of which makes GOOD 'HORSE SENSE'!